Pet Supermarket Keeps Growth on Track Without Adding Staff or Expanding Its DC

Pet Supermarket’s DC was growing beyond the capacity of a paper-based picking process that restricted efficiency. The manual system generated over 1,500 sheets of paper a day, creating clerical work for three full-time associates, and making it difficult for front-line supervisors to react to shorts and manage production throughout the day. They had been using barcode scanning for receiving and replenishment, but managers had determined they needed a Lucas voice-directed optimization solution to achieve the productivity gains they were seeking.

About Pet Supermarket

Pet Supermarket is a leading pet supply retailer with more than 130 stores from coast to coast.

“This was the smoothest implementation of any technology I have been involved with in my 28 years.”
Mac Whetsel, VP of Operations

The Lucas Solution

The Results

  • The same number of pickers can process one-third more orders per day without overtime.

  • The previous two-week training period for new pickers has been reduced to 1-2 days.

  • New pickers can work as efficiently and productively as experienced workers within 1-2 weeks.

  • Prior to Lucas, two full-time clerical staff had to print and manage pick tickets. With Lucas, they are free to do other work.

“You can’t overestimate how much our associates appreciate picking with Jennifer. They’d probably quit if we tried to take it away.”
Oscar Martinez, DC Manager